Pinheiro Braathen, Kristoffersen, Odermatt: GEPA pictures
Ready for a Thrilling Conclusion
Thanks to the expertise of the FIS and the dedicated local race crew, the salted course was well-prepared for the second run. With firm conditions holding strong, the stage was set for an intense finale to the 2025 edition of the Kranjska Gora World Cup giant slalom on the challenging Podkoren slope.
Braathen Moves into the Lead as Final Five Prepare to Race
With only the top five skiers from the first run left to start, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen had the provisional lead with a total time of 2:18.59. The Brazilian put together a focused and aggressive second run, confidently handling the challenging course to edge out Austria’s Stefan Brennsteiner by 0.27 seconds.
“If I thought the win was possible, I would have been dancing like a maniac in the finish area,” Pinheiro Braathen said with a smile after finishing second.
Brennsteiner, who had led briefly, now sat in second place at +0.27 after delivering one of the strongest second-run performances. His exceptional second sector kept him in contention, but Pinheiro Braathen’s consistency across all sections was enough to push him down the leaderboard.
Marco Schwarz, who had been the leader earlier in the run, was now third at +0.45. Despite a well-executed performance, he lost valuable time in the critical final sector.
With the five fastest skiers from the first run still waiting at the start, the energy on the hill was electric. The podium battle remained wide open, and the final five had everything to race for.
Kristoffersen Returns to the Top with Fourth Kranjska Gora GS Victory
The final five skiers attacked the course in pursuit of the Kranjska Gora giant slalom title. Still, in the end, Henrik Kristoffersen delivered a statement performance to claim his first World Cup GS victory in three seasons—his last win in the discipline also came at this venue in March 2022.
First to go was Thibaut Favrot, who charged aggressively but lacked the speed in the lower sections, finishing 0.99 seconds behind Pinheiro Braathen and off the podium.
Next, Alexander Steen Olsen, a two-time GS winner this season, looked poised to challenge but made a critical mistake, dropping well outside the top 15.
With three skiers remaining, Joan Verdu of Andorra, who had stunned with a brilliant first run, fought hard but ultimately landed 0.74 seconds behind Pinheiro Braathen, securing the Brazilian a podium finish—his second GS podium of the season, having also finished runner-up in Beaver Creek in December.
Then, all eyes turned to Marco Odermatt, the dominant force in giant slalom. The Swiss star charged down the course, looking to extend his Kranjska Gora GS win streak, but even the best in the world couldn’t overtake the Brazilian. Odermatt crossed the line 0.11 seconds behind, slotting into second place with only Kristoffersen left to race.
“It’s really surprising that I was able to clinch Marco today. I’m really proud of that. He’s a skier that I respect so much. And Henrik—yeah, I mean, he’s amazing when it comes to this grindy, salty snow, especially here in Kranjska Gora. He held it down, claimed the win. Nothing but respect to him,” Pinheiro Braathen said.
The Norwegian, chasing his fourth career GS win in Kranjska Gora, delivered under pressure. His focused execution and aggressive skiing saw him edge out Pinheiro Braathen by 0.41 seconds, clinching his first World Cup GS victory since March 2022—at this very venue.
“For sure, it means a lot. It was a really nice race with great conditions in both runs. Honestly, the second run felt even better to ski. The course set was great—first run was really nice, and the second was a bit faster, but here you have so much control with the snow and the hill. It’s a skier’s race, not a setup race. My shape is pretty okay at the moment.” – Henrik Kristoffersen
Final Podium:
1. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) – 2:18.18
2. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) +0.41
3. Marco Odermatt (SUI) +0.52
Kristoffersen’s return to the top was a reminder of his dominance in Kranjska Gora, while Pinheiro Braathen’s second-place finish marked another strong GS performance this season. Odermatt, despite missing the win, once again proved why he remains the discipline leader.
“For sure I feel the pressure, my advantage is getting less and less, smaller and smaller,” Odermatt said when asked about the season’s GS title, before adding, “But it’s still there. I am going to fight until the end.”
Kenney and Gile Shine as Radamus Leads Early Standings
With 11 skiers down in the second run, River Radamus held the provisional lead with a combined time of 2:19.61. After a disappointing first run, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s top GS skier took advantage of his earlier start position to lay down a strong second run. While leading at this stage, his position was far from secure with many of the top contenders still to race.
The bigger story for the U.S. team was Bridger Gile, who secured his first-ever World Cup points in a major career milestone. The 24-year-old, who had never qualified for a second run before today, delivered a composed and confident performance to finish seventh among the first 11 skiers. His total time of 2:21.08 put him 1.47 seconds off Radamus’ pace, marking a breakthrough moment on the World Cup stage.
Meanwhile, Patrick Kenney, an independent racer with Global Racing, continued his impressive season. He made the second run for the third time this year, and for the second time, he walked away with World Cup points. Kenney attacked his run aggressively, moving into fifth place at this stage of the race, just 1.26 seconds back, showing growing consistency on the circuit.
At this point, Germany’s Anton Grammel and Italy’s Filippo Della Vite rounded out the top three, but the battle for the podium was just beginning as faster skiers prepared to take the course.
Schwarz Moves into the Lead at the Halfway Point
With 15 skiers down in the second run, Marco Schwarz of Austria took over the provisional lead with a total time of 2:19.04. Starting 14th in the second run, Schwarz put together a composed and aggressive performance, delivering the fastest time so far and setting the standard for the remaining contenders.
Radamus, who had led after the first 11 skiers, now sat in second place, 0.57 seconds behind Schwarz. The American executed a strong second run, but Schwarz’s technical excellence and efficiency through the middle sections proved decisive.
Germany’s Anton Grammel rounded out the top three at +0.69, holding his ground after an impressive showing early in the second run. With the fastest 15 skiers from the first run still to come, the battle for the podium remained wide open.
Brennsteiner Takes the Lead as Final Ten Prepare to Race
With only the fastest ten skiers from the first run remaining, Brennsteiner of Austria moved into the provisional lead with a total time of 2:18.86. His aggressive second run, featuring the fastest time in sector two, propelled him past Schwarz to take the top spot.
Schwarz, who had been leading at the halfway point, now sat in second place at +0.18. Despite his clean and composed skiing, he was unable to match his fellow Austrian’s speed in the critical middle section.
Switzerland’s Thomas Tumler climbed into third place at +0.39, delivering a strong second run to edge out Belgium’s Sam Maes, who now sat just outside the podium positions.
Meanwhile, Radamus continued his climb up the standings. After leading when the first 11 had finished, the American had since been bumped down to fifth place, now tied with Croatia’s Filip Zubcic at +0.75. Radamus had risen five positions from his 17th-place standing after the first run, an impressive charge that kept him in the mix as the top-ranked skiers prepared to take on the course.
Final U.S. Standings – Radamus Leads the Way
When the dust settled, all three U.S. skiers earned World Cup points, with Radamus finishing as the top American.
- River Radamus: 12th place (+1.43) – Gained 8 positions from 20th after the first run.
- Patrick Kenney: 22nd place (+2.69) – Gained 5 positions from 27th after the first run.
- Bridger Gile: 24th place (+2.83) – Gained 2 positions from 26th after the first run.
Radamus made the most of his second run, climbing inside the top 15, while Kenney and Gile secured crucial World Cup points, a significant result for both. For Gile, his first-ever World Cup points marked a career breakthrough, while Kenney continued to show progress with his second points finish of the season.
Radamus’ Reaction:
“Huge day for the boys all around. I’m beyond psyched to see Bridger collect his first World Cup points—I know how hard he’s been working for this and how tough it is to break through. This gives the whole team confidence, seeing the hard work paying off. It’s awesome to have PK in there again as well, with three of us in the second run. The guys are building real momentum.
I made a costly mistake in the first run and felt lucky to get a second. I gave everything I had to take advantage of the opportunity in run two and was able to salvage a solid result. Now, I just hope to leave the mistakes behind for the last few races of the season.” – River Radamus
Kenney’s Reaction:
“Starting with bib 45, it was a battle to get into the mix, so making the second run was really important. I didn’t ski my best in the first run—I was a bit stiff—but I made the adjustments my coaches suggested, and my skiing was much better in the second. I went out there trying to win that second run, and I’m proud of how I approached it.
Being back in the points means a lot after a tough winter. Since Adelboden, I was sick for Schladming and SAalbach, and I finally feel like I have my strength and health back. It feels great to be right back where I knew I could be. I’ve got a lot more in the tank, but this was a solid day to build on heading into the end of the season.” – Patrick Kenney
Gile’s Reaction:
“Getting two runs feels like real ski racing, and I’m glad I got to ski race today. I’ve been skiing well since mid-January, and with a good start position, I just stuck to my skiing, and it worked out. I’ve watched River do second runs for a while now, and it feels great to finally join him and PK in the second run. But this is just the beginning.” – Bridger Gile
A strong showing from the U.S. contingent, with all three skiers delivering in the second run.
Results:
Click images to enlarge
Analysis of the Fastest Three and North American Qualifiers
About the Author: Peter Lange
